Lie to Me Again | ONC 2024

15 - Blood on Gold

"Why does she turn young again when she's sleeping?" Minji asked, then started coughing. 

Yuki passed Rhett's little sister another throat lozenge before refilling both their popcorn cups from the bowl. In the darkened room, the light of the screen shone brighter as they watched a Ghibli movie. The main character, a teenage girl, had been cursed to become an old woman, but as she slept her appearance reverted.

"Maybe it's because she's not thinking about the curse, or it doesn't affect her when she's asleep," Yuki answered, snuggling back under the blankets on the couch. 

Although Minji had recovered from her bout with the cold, she still had a cough. Yuki had brought over some okayu, rice porridge, and they'd eaten it before settling in with a cozy film.

"I think it's because he can see the real her," Minji said sleepily. 

Yuki watched the younger girl's eyelids sag and reached over to tuck the blankets around her. Winter had struck with ferocity, bringing a freezing rain that shut down schools for the day. Not wanting to be holed up in her room, she'd called the Tudor's landline and asked if she could visit. 

Rhett had gone with Mr. Tudor to his work, so it'd been a girl's day with Mrs. Tudor and Minji—helping iron quilt squares, listening to Minji's piano piece, and now movie time. Yuki much preferred it to one with Era and Sophia.

She smoothed Minji's soft hair back with her hand, when Minji whispered, "I wish I had a sister like you."

Yuki smiled. "You already call me 'Unnie', don't you?"

"That's different," Minji protested, waking up a little even though her perfect peach blossom eyes threatened to shut. "I mean a real sister and you could live here and we'd do things together all the time."

"You'd get tired of me," Yuki teased. "But I do wish I had a sister like you too."

Minji closed her eyes. "Brothers can be a pain."

"They can, but they're fun in a different way." After watching several more minutes of the movie, Yuki dimmed the lights so Minji could nap undisturbed and crept upstairs.

She found Rhett making a sandwich in the kitchen.

"Want one?" he asked, somehow not surprised to find her at his house. "The ice storms are supposed to get worse so my parents went to stock up on groceries."

"Sure, I'll take one," Yuki said, sitting down on a stool next to the counter. "Want help?"

"Please. I can never cut the cheese evenly." Rhett slid the cutting board across the counter and handed her the knife. 

Determined to make the prettiest cheese slices possible, Yuki lined up the block under the blade. Slowly now...

Rhett stared at her.

"Could you not?" Yuki growled at him. "I can't work under these conditions."

"Sorry, sorry." He turned his back on her to wash lettuce at the sink. "I zoned out. You'd think cheese cutting is a secret art or something."

"Of course it is." The knife did not want to cut through, but Yuki made an even cut of ideal thickness. "Though speaking of secrets, I need your help with something."

The bread bag crackled as Rhett pulled out four pieces. "The great sage of cheese comes to me for help? I am but a humble bread peasant." He bowed in mockery.

Yuki frowned. "Rhett, I'm being serious." 

He immediately stopped smiling and gave her his full attention, putting the sandwich-crafting ingredients aside. "You know I'll help you with anything, but I think this time it's fair if I get something in return." At her questioning glance, he said, "I ask one question and you give me nothing but the truth."